Safety flange



Aug. 5, 1930. P. J. SHOUVLIN SAFETY FLANGE Filed Dec. 3, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PflT/Zltk a. SHOl/YL/N.

BY JMZMJMA J 5, 1930- P. J. SHOUVLIN 72,270

SAFETY FLANGE Filed Dec. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR PHTR/CK \LJIIOUVLIN BY CZW v MM-W ATTORNEYQ g- 5, 1930- P. J. SHOUVLIN 1,772,270

SAFETY FLANGE Filed Dec. 5, 1928 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'IG.3

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT Mme PATRICK J sHoUvLIiv, or srnmerrnnn, orrro, Assrsnon TO surnnron ENGINE coM- PANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE. if

SAFETY FLANGE Application filed December 3, 1928. Serial No. 323,586.

It is the object of this invention to provide a safety flange for use 'in connection with compressors and engines for operating the compressors.

It is particularly an object of this invention to provide a safety flange connection between the piston rod of the compressor and the compressor tie rods that will, on certain predetermined pressure being developed, break so that the operation of the compressor will stop though the engine continues to operate.

It frequently happens in the operation of compressors that the valves are closed and the engine started, and if these valves should remain closed and not be immediately opened, or if a quantity of fluid gasoline or oil or water should suddenly flow or be drawn into the cylinder being unable to escape quickly, a sufiicient amount of pressure will be produced in the compressor to cause the compressor to burst, and it is for the purpose of avoiding this possibility and to provide means for relieving the pressure in case the valve should not be properly opened after starting the engine. This is accomplished by placing on the end of the compressor rod Where it unites with the compressor tie rods, a frangible or breakable flange that will, upon certain pressuie being developed in the compressor, break and relieve the compressor from any further development of pressure.

For the purpose of illustration there is shown'in the accompanying drawings the preferred embodiment of this device, which is here shown for the purpose of illustration only.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a compressor and an engine, showing this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the crosshead assembly.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a View of the crosshead assembly looking in the direction of the piston rod.

Figure 5 is a view of the crosshead assembly opposite to that shown in Figure 4.

This invention is particularly illustrated in Figure 1, which shows a vertical section of an engine and a compressor to which the present invention is applied. 5

The engine is indicated by the numeral 1, while the compressor is indicated byithe numeral 2. The piston rod of the engine is indicated by the numeral 3, and has the usual crosshead shoe 4, which has extending therefrom horizontally arranged arms 5. The guides for the crosshead shoe are indicated by the numeral 6.

Each of these arms 5 has a hole in the end thereof which receives one end of a crosshead tie rod 6. These rods, one from each arm, extend from the crosshead of the engine to the crosshead attached to the piston rod of the compressor. The piston rod ofthe compressoris indicated by the numeral 7, and has on the end thereof screw threads 8 adapted to receive a" nut 9 for the purpose ofholding on the end of the compressor piston rod a crosshead flange 10. The crosshead flange is circular in shape and has through the center thereof a hole for the receptionof the piston rod ofthe compressor. After the crossheadfiange has been placed on the end of the piston rod it is held in place by the nut on the end of the screw threads. Near the outer periphery of the crosshead flange is a series of holes, indicated-by the numeral 11.

Adapted to be carried by the crosshead flange is a crosshead shoe member 12. The general shapeof the crosshead shoe member is annular, with oppositely extending hearing surfaces 13. These bearing surfaces are supported'in crosshead guides 14, which are part of the casing of the compressor. The

general shape of the crosshead shoe member 7,

is circular, and it has on the periphery there of aseries of holes corresponding to the holes in the crosshead flange and is adapted to'be fastened to the crosshead flange by bolts passing through the holes.

Adapted to be attached to the crosshead flange and the crosshead shoe is a crosshead 15. The general shape of this crosshead is circular, with oppositely extending arms 16. Each of these arms has therein a hole 17 on its outer end. Near the outer periphery in the ends of the arms on the crosshead the ends of the crossheadv tie rods are adapted to be received and held thereby by means of a nut 20. There are two of these crosshead tie rods extending from the crosshead of the compressor to the crosshead of the engine, and they have for their purpose the operation of the compressor through the action of the engine. 1

The partlcular feature of this invention is in the crosshead flange, which is constructed so that after a certain amount of pressure has been built up in the compressor it will break, and for this purpose that part of the flange between the piston rod of the compressor and the point where it is attached to the crosshead shoe is reduced in size so that this part of the flange will break when a certain amount of pressure has been built.

up in the compressor. This reduced part of the flange is indicated by the numeral 21.

This flange may also be made of any suitable material, or such material as would be likely to break after a certain pressure has been exerted thereon. The material used in this flange is not of any particular kind. It may be cast iron or any other metal that would accomplish the purposes for which this flange is designed. The size of the flange, or thickness of the material may be varied to accomplish the purposes, and suchpurposes vary with the compression created in the compressor and the ability of the compressor to withstand the pressure therein.

I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be clearly embraced within my claims and the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a safety device, a piston rod, a crosshead flange on said rod, said crosshead flange having arms thereon and compressor tie rods connected to said arms, said crosshead flange being composed of frangible material and adapted to break when a predetermined amount of pressure is exerted thereon.

2. In a safety device, a piston rod, a crosshead flange on said rod, a crosshead attached to said crosshead flange, said crosshead having arms thereon, and compressor tie rod connected to said arms, said crosshead flange beingcomposed of frangible material and adapted to break when a predetermined amount of pressure is exerted thereon.

' flange, said crosshead having arms thereon,

and compressor .tie rods connected to said arms, said flange being composed of frangible material and adapted to break when a predetermined amount of pressure is exerted thereon.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

PATRICK J. SHOUVLIN. 

